A new workforce futures report by the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources and UNDP provides a 15-year outlook for workforce demand in the agriculture, creative and digital sectors.
Identifying future skills needs in the agriculture, creative, and digital sectors
December 15, 2022
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Launch of Bhutan Workforce Futures Report
Thimphu, 15 December 2022: The report, “Bhutan Workforce Futures: Stepping Stones to Industrial Strategic Propositions for the Agriculture, Creative and Digital Sector”, released today, explores future skills needs in Bhutan's creative, agriculture and digital sectors in the context of changing nature of work, workplace and workforce.
Using strategic foresight tools and methods, the report presents two complementary scenarios- one inwardly focused and the other outwardly focused- for each sector for the next five (immediate future), 10 (near future) and 15 (far future) years and charts skills, capacity and knowledge needs to realise the proposed scenarios. For instance, digital and financial literacy, smart irrigation and digital agricultural platform are some of the inwardly focused skills that will be in demand in the immediate future in the agriculture sector. In the creative sector, intellectual property rights protection capacity, animation skills, crowdfunding and data analysis are among the immediate outwardly focused skills needs. And in the digital sector, cyber security literacy, digital ethics, data interoperability and design thinking are some of the inwardly focused skills that would be in demand in the immediate future.
Soft skills, such as effective communication, critical thinking, negotiation skills, emotional intelligence, empathy and stress management, are crosscutting and will be required in the immediate, near and far future. In line with these, the report highlights interventions, including experiments and pilots, to drive future workforce supply and job growth.
The study was carried out as part of ongoing efforts to tackle the challenge of youth unemployment. It builds on the earlier report by the Ministry of Labour and Resources (MoLHR) and UNDP on Digital Jobs in Bhutan and stresses the importance of addressing youth unemployment through a systems approach.
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Mohammad Younus, Resident Representative, UNDP Bhutan
"In the absence of an economic road map or future workforce roadmap, this report serves as a guide for the three sectors in preparing future workforce and tackling issues through the proposed interventions,” said Dasho Tashi Wangmo, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources.
“One of the key ideas that this report proposes is that a functioning and thriving workforce is not just dependent on supply-side reform but also requires investments in the demand-side enabling people with the right mix of skills and abilities to be absorbed by the economy.”
“We are witnessing major transformations in the world of work, both in Bhutan and beyond– from advances in technology to the impact of climate change, from changing nature of production to employment and demographics, and more. The report highlights strategies to confront these challenges and, more importantly, leverage opportunities from technological advances and innovation.,” said UNDP Resident Representative, Mohammad Younus
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Dasho Tashi Wangmo, Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources
“UNDP stands committed to supporting efforts in mapping investment opportunities for the interventions and experiments outlined in the report. We stand ready to support the building of an inclusive and robust creative, digital and agriculture sectors in Bhutan.”
Led by the MoLHR in partnership with UNDP, this report is a collective work of the task team, comprising representatives from the erstwhile Gross National Happiness Commission, the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry of Economic Affairs. The UNDP’s Regional Innovation Centre with the Bangkok Regional Hub provided technical support.
The report is also informed by the voices of representatives from the Local Government, private sector, the agriculture, creative, and digital sectors, and the youth themselves.
Media contact:
Ms. Dechen Wangmo, Communications Analyst, UNDP Bhutan, Mobile: +975 1734 3086, Email: dechen.wangmo@undp.org.